Yogi orders probe into PWD scam during SP regimes in UP

Lucknow, July 24 (IANS) The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has ordered an inquiry into the alleged scam of more than Rs 1,000 crore in the Public Works Department (PWD).

The probe has been handed over to a special investigation team (SIT), which has asked for related files from the Principal Secretary of PWD.

The alleged scam took place during the tenure of Samajwadi Party governments between 2004-05 and 2012-13. According to sources, the alleged scam took place in 137 PWD projects in 13 districts of the state during the governments of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav.

The 13 districts in which PWD projects have come under scanner of the BJP government, include Varanasi, Bhadohi, Sonebhadra, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Pratapgarh, Prayagraj, Shravasti, Mau, Ballia, Jaunpur, Mirzapur and Azamgarh.

The projects, which can come under scanner include a primary health centre in Chandauli, a community centre in Varanasi, a 100-bed hospital and court room in Bhadohi to name a few.

Though the SP patriarch has got a clean chit in disproportionate assets case, this new probe can spell fresh trouble for him.

His son and former chief minister of the state Akhilesh Yadav is already under CBI scanner for the illegal mining scam during his tenure from 2012 to 2017 in the state. The investigation could lead to the questioning of Akhilesh Yadav, who had also kept the portfolio with himself for some time.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati is already facing trouble in the scam related to sale of sugar mills and her former secretary, Netram, was recently raided by the Income Tax Department which carried out searches on properties linked to him in Delhi and Lucknow. The former bureaucrat is suspected of evading tax to the tune of Rs 100 crore.

Benami properties worth Rs 400 crore belonging to her brother and BSP Vice President Anand Kumar were seized recently.